# Bike Bus in Õtepoti?

**URL:** <https://spokes.nz/t/bike-bus-in-otepoti/1513>\
**Category:** General\
**Tags:** cycling\
**Created:** [24 March 2026 21:13 UTC](https://spokes.nz/t/bike-bus-in-otepoti/1513 "2026-03-24T21:13:28Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![LiamHarrison](https://spokes.nz/user_avatar/spokes.nz/liamharrison/32/1025_2.png) [@LiamHarrison](https://spokes.nz/u/LiamHarrison)\
**Post date:** [24 March 2026 21:13 UTC](https://spokes.nz/t/bike-bus-in-otepoti/1513/1 "2026-03-24T21:13:28Z")

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Is there anyone in this forum currently biking with children to school?

Have been scratching my head about positive solutions for families struggling with the current spike in transport costs and wondered if there might be appetite from a school in South Dunedin (because it’s flat and has good population density) to arrange a trial Bike Bus.

I personally don’t have any grommits, so this is well outside my experience/community, and wanted to ask if anyone on here has any high-level thoughts or initial opinions on the topic…

DCC webpage on getting to school without a car mentions buddying up:  
[https://www.dunedin.govt.nz/services/roads-and-footpaths/getting-around-dunedin/getting-to-school](https://www.dunedin.govt.nz/services/roads-and-footpaths/getting-around-dunedin/getting-to-school)

A Pittsburgh developed “how to get started” guide:

> **[How to Start a Bike Bus: A Step-by-Step Guide for Families and Schools |...](https://www.peopleforbikes.org/news/how-to-start-a-bike-bus-a-step-by-step-guide-for-f)**
>
> Photo courtesy of Bike Pittsburgh

An example (on a rather large scale) of a successful bike bus: [https://www.instagram.com/p/DBGu5ROvTjk/?fbclid=IwY2xjawQv3V9leHRuA2FlbQIxMABicmlkETFDRkY3bzczM2NiS2FWdUJCc3J0YwZhcHBfaWQQMjIyMDM5MTc4ODIwMDg5MgABHmQ6Nd4r39FcyemSja-uvqjqBD81OANrkttRIDsvOswghts4pgzMY\_5vOr7U\_aem\_8DTrMumHJQFOswIm8xqGeA](https://www.instagram.com/p/DBGu5ROvTjk/?fbclid=IwY2xjawQv3V9leHRuA2FlbQIxMABicmlkETFDRkY3bzczM2NiS2FWdUJCc3J0YwZhcHBfaWQQMjIyMDM5MTc4ODIwMDg5MgABHmQ6Nd4r39FcyemSja-uvqjqBD81OANrkttRIDsvOswghts4pgzMY_5vOr7U_aem_8DTrMumHJQFOswIm8xqGeA)

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**Author:** ![NathanK](https://spokes.nz/user_avatar/spokes.nz/nathank/32/2002_2.png) [@NathanK](https://spokes.nz/u/NathanK)\
**Post date:** [24 March 2026 22:23 UTC](https://spokes.nz/t/bike-bus-in-otepoti/1513/2 "2026-03-24T22:23:33Z")

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I’ve been taking my kids to school via bike for years. And are usually the only one at our school!

I was just at a talk by Matt Fordham (at CANDo) which touched on his experiences of setting this up at Pt Chev. Here is the fuller story:

> **[The bike train: an effort to educate drivers around school cyclist safety](https://www.rnz.co.nz/national/programmes/afternoons/audio/2018903661/the-bike-train-an-effort-to-educate-drivers-around-school-cyclist-safety)**
>
> We speak to a parent who started a school bike train in his local Pt Chev community, and became so invested, he's now a project lead for an advocacy group for kids cycling safety. Matt Fordham from Crank talks to Jesse.

What is critical is whole bunch of kids going the same direction, preferably in the flat. At our school (Arthur Street School), this just isn’t the case. But I can imagine it could work in Sth Dunners.

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**Author:** ![david](https://spokes.nz/user_avatar/spokes.nz/david/32/1241_2.png) [@david](https://spokes.nz/u/david)\
**Post date:** [25 March 2026 00:04 UTC](https://spokes.nz/t/bike-bus-in-otepoti/1513/3 "2026-03-25T00:04:38Z")

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Another place this could work is along North Road in North East Valley. There are two primary schools and an intermediate in the valley, plus a bike bus/train could feed into one going to Logan Park and George St schools also. The only kids I see riding bikes around North Road appear to be from former refugee families, however. This probably just needs someone to get it started (and to keep it going).